Tsuki no Hanayome 月の花嫁
by FanficMonster101
Summary: Marriage is a many-faceted thing. Thoughts on the marriage of Hyuga Hinata and Uchiha Sasuke, from those closest to them.
1. Tenten: Engagement

Marriage is beautiful.

Tenten _Inuzuka_ had been a newlywed for approximately sixteen hours when she heard of the engagement.

She was apprehensive of it, at first. Her marriage was great, and she loved her husband...but the man Hinata was going to marry did not strike Tenten as someone Hinata would be happy with. She only hoped that, in time, they could come to love each other.

Tenten had just woken up, after a _long_ night, and she was feeling a bit sore. Carefully, so as not to disturb her husband (she felt like such a little girl when the word made her toes curl pleasantly) she got up from the bed and put on a robe, intending to take a shower.

She froze, however, when she heard the bed creak, accompanied by a loud yawn. She turned around to see Kiba looking up at her from the sheets. He was propped up on one elbow, his eyes still a bit sleepy. "Hey," he said softly, and Tenten broke into a smile. "Hey," she greeted back, her tone also quiet, as if being too loud would disturb the reverence of the moment.

Kiba smiled back, small but content. "Did we get married last night?" he wondered.

Tenten giggled. "Unless I married another man and went home with you by mistake," she teased. Kiba's grin widened. "Then I was right."

The brunette cocked her head to one side. "About what?"

Kiba rolled over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. "This morning, when I woke up, I thought, 'I am the happiest man alive'." He glanced at her. "Now I know it was true."

Tenten blushed. "I didn't take you for a romantic," she murmured. The wolfish boy just winked. "I have my moments."

And honestly, he did.

Whatever Tenten was about to say next was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. Tenten glanced towards the bedroom door, then back at Kiba. He shrugged. "I'd get it, but I'm kind of...naked."

Tenten rolled her eyes, and walked out of the bedroom, yawning as she approached the front door. When she opened it, there was a little boy there, arms crossed and tapping his foot like it had taken her hours to reach him. He had light blonde hair and dark eyes, and was carrying a messenger bag. Seeing her, he brightened, then held out an envelope. "Hinata-hime asked me to give this to you," he told her, his voice very official-sounding. Tenten thanked him, a bit confused, and he scampered off, his bag swinging at his side.

Closing the door, Tenten leaned against it and took out the contents of the envelope; a glossy brown ribbon and a card. She opened the card, and read.

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><p><em>Dear Tenten,<em>

_I wanted to congratulate you on your marriage to Kiba-kun. I am sure you two will be very happy together - it is obvious he loves you. I'm so happy for the both of you, and I wish you a beautiful marriage. I am also writing to you to tell you that I am to be married as well, and I hope that you will come to my wedding and be one of my bridesmaids. The ribbon is for your hair - in Hyuga tradition, the women tie a ribbon in their hair at weddings to represent peace and well-being. Even though it is an arranged marriage, I want you to know that I am content with it, and I want you to be happy for me._

_You are probably wondering who I am marrying, as I have not yet told you, nor anyone else. It seems silly, but I cannot bring myself to tell you point-blank. You will know by my signature._

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><p>Tenten stood, shocked, as she read Hinata's letter. Married? Hinata was going to be married? An arranged marriage, no less! Holy crap.<p>

Kiba's voice called from the bedroom. "Who was at the door?"

Tenten didn't answer, and after a moment, Kiba came around the corner, now half-dressed and rubbing his eyes. "Tenten?" he said.

She looked at him, disbelievingly. "Hinata's going to be married," she whispered.

Kiba stopped rubbing his eyes, and his hand dropped to his side. He looked utterly shocked, just as she had been. "To _who_?"

Tenten looked down at the letter, and her eyes widened. Wordlessly, she handed it to Kiba, who read the entire letter and froze when he got to the bottom. "Holy..." he trailed off, his voice surprised and a bit angry. That Tenten could understand - Hinata was his teammate, his friend, someone important in his life. And to find out that she was going to be married to a man she didn't choose was...disquieting.

Anyone else, Tenten could have accepted. Anyone else, Tenten could have believed would make Hinata happy. But this man was not anyone else. Tenten's marriage was beautiful...but she had a creeping fear that Hinata's would not be so simple. And all it took to instill that feeling was one signature.

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><p><em>Love,<em>

_Hinata Uchiha_


	2. Shikamaru: Party

**Me**: Okay, so I just wanted to thank my first two reviewers, Saki-Hime and Emi - you guys are awesome! Thanks for the tips.

.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.

Marriage is pleasantly annoying.

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When Shikamaru got home, Temari was lounging on the couch, twirling a paper party crown on one finger and staring up at the ceiling with a frown on her face.

He stopped in the doorway, taking in the odd sight for a minute, then removed his shoes and walking over to her. As he neared the couch, she turned her head to face him, her frown disappearing and being replaced by a small grin. "How was the mission?" she asked him, as he sat down on the edge of the couch, her legs moving slightly to make room for him. He shrugged. "It was a succes, although we got attacked by enemy nins on the way back."

She didn't jump up to check his wounds, of course. Her eyes remained deceptively blank. "Did you get checked out at the hospital?"

Always logic before emotions.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "No," he admitted. "I wanted to see you." He gave her his lazy (sexy) smile. She rolled her eyes in that bored (gorgeous) way, and nudged his side with her thigh. "You're full of it," she commented.

Changing the subject, he pointed to the paper party crown she had in her hands. "How was the bachelorette party?" he asked, and was only half-surprised when Temari sighed, her gaze turning back to the ceiling. "Good. Ino did a nice job with it." A short, simple explanation, which was her norm. But there was something else, he could tell.

"Anything else?" he prompted, and she looked back at him. She had that certain look about her that made him think she was going to say something important.

"What do you think of marriage?"

He gaped for a second. Was she suggesting...?

He shifted. "It's annoying." he said truthfully.

Temari, instead of bitching him out for the wrong answer, just looked thoughtful. She began to explain herself. "At the party...Hinata looked happy. Not with her impending marriage, but with her friends." She paused here, and Shikamaru knew she was wondering if Hinata considered her one of those friends. "But there were other girls there, already married...Ino, and Tenten." Shikamaru placed a hand on her leg, and she glanced at him before returning to her story. "Tenten looked most happy. She's married to the Inuzuka, right?" Shikamaru nodded, but she hadn't been waiting for his answer. "She was practically glowing with joy. Like she had a ball of sunshine in her pocket or something."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Shikamaru stared at her, and she stared at the blue party crown. "Do you...wish you were married?" he asked finally. She shrugged. "Sometimes. It's just...they both looked so overjoyed. And I'm wondering if marriage is really so annoying." She looked at him now, searching his dark brown eyes. He felt like he shouldn't (couldn't) look away.

There was really only one thing to say in this situation, and Shikamaru felt himself say it before he could stop himself. "I love you."

Her face broke into a smile. "I know," she said smugly. He grinned at her, until she lifted one leg and placed it in his lap. He was now trapped, with one leg behind him and one leg nudging him farther back onto the couch. He complied with her wishes, shifting backwards.

"See, I think marriage might be..." she tapped her chin, searching for the right word. "Pleasant." She lifted one hand and started tracing patterns on his back, through his jacket.

He wouldn't lie - he actually shivered. And he was a smart guy, so he took his girlfriend's hint and removed the flak jacket, letting it fall to the floor."Yeah?" he said, quietly. She smiled at him, seductive and inviting, and he leaned over her, caging her in with his hands. "Married couples do lots of things together," she murmured, and he twisted his hips so that he was straddling her. "Such as?" he said.

The blonde leaned up, pressing her lips to his neck. "I'm sure you can think of a few."

Oh, she was good.

He turned his head, catching her lips, pushing her back onto the couch. She wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him close to her. The kiss soon became urgent, heated, passionate. When they parted, they simply stared at each other, allowing them to catch their breath. No one said anything for a second, and then they both spoke at once.

"We should have sex."

"We should get married."

Both ninja's eyes widened. Temari's lips curved into a smirk. "You want to get married?" she asked. Shikamaru blushed lightly. "Well, y-yeah." Damn...he was stuttering. "Only if you want to."

Temari's smirk turned into a genuine smile. "Only if it's to you." She teased. He grinned.

"I think our marriage will be...annoying."

"I think our marriage will be...pleasant."

Shikamaru considered this. "Pleasantly annoying," he finally concluded.

"You're a dork."

"You're a bitch."

Frown. "I hate you."

"I love you..."

A sigh. "Fine. I love you too...dork."

"So let's get married."

"First, let's have sex."

"God, I love you."

.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.

**Me:** Yippee! It's finished! I had a hard time deciding who Shikamaru should be with...Ino or Temari? But ShikaTema won out in the end...(gushes) I just love them!

Anyway, I mentioned two married women in this chapter. I've already etablished that Tenten was married to Kiba, but I didn't say who Ino was married to. So I'm letting you decide!

I don't want to squash anyone's hopes, but there are just a few people Ino can't be married to...Sasuke, because he's marrying Hinata, Kiba, because he's married to Tenten, Kakashi, because I wish to keep him a bachelor ( XD ), and NONE of the Akatsuki members. Dead or alive. I think that's all...so everyone else is fair game. But please, make it within the realm of possibility. Like, don't suggest Ino/Minato or Ino/Asuma.

**Review, and tell me who you think Ino should be married to!**


	3. Neji: Preparations

Marriage is duty.

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To put it plain and simple, Neji was unhappy.

It was no secret that Hiashi Hyuga had almost always favored Neji to lead the clan. He had long ago deemed his eldest too weak for such responsibility, and had turned his attentions to the younger of the sisters, Hanabi.

But Hiashi was growing old, and Hanabi did not seem to have the patience to lead a clan, nor was she old enough. He was running out of time for an heir. His next choice, after Hanabi...was Neji.

Neji had the skills, the experience, and the bearings to run the clan as Hiashi had. He was a fine choice; the only thing he lacked was the heritage of the Main Branch. The Hyuga elders all agreed that in order to become clan leader, Neji would have to marry someone from the Main Branch.

The bride chosen for him was Hyuga Hitomi, a pretty girl of reasonable intelligence and skill. Hitomi, of course, was thrilled to be betrothed to the future clan leader - the fact that Neji was so physically attractive only added to her interest. Neji was not so thrilled.

It was wrong. It was oh so wrong, and he had spent many a night feeling guilty and disgusted with himself -

But he had wanted to marry Hinata.

It was wrong. But that didn't mean Neji stopped wanting it. He had known for a while that he was going to be clan leader, and when the elders presented him with the news that he would marry from the Main Branch, he had immediately picked Hinata out in his mind. She was kind, she was patient, she was _desirable_ now that she had gained both strength and physical maturity. She was not the strongest, and she was not a beauty above all the rest. But Neji didn't care - Hinata was perhaps one of the only people who had never shown him ill will, even when he had wished for her death, even when he had damaged her already frail heart, both literally and figuratively.

Her hand in marriage was everything he had ever wanted.

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he knew he should not love Hinata this way. She was his cousin, and she had only recently stopped calling him 'nii-san'. But the Hyuga genius never paid much mind to those thoughts; there was marriage between relatives all the time. At one point, he had been promised to Hanabi in marriage, when he was a small child and she just an infant. He saw nothing intrinsically wrong with a marriage to Hinata - if she did not love him like that yet, she would, in time...he was sure of it.

He did not have that time.

A month ago, Uchiha Sasuke had walked up to their front door, calmly announced that he had business with Hiashi, and was led away, toward the Main Branch's quarters.

Neji had stared after him, wondering what he could possibly want, running plausible options through his head. He did not like any of them.

Hinata was called into the meeting room.

An hour later, Sasuke had come out of the room carrying the means to destroy Neji's future happiness, sealed in ink and blood.

Neji's heart very nearly stopped when Hinata followed, her face perfectly blank but her eyes betraying a sort of sadness that only comes from a situation of near hopelessness.

Hinata was to be married to Uchiha Sasuke.

Neji was to be married to a woman he did not love.

Hitomi was by no means difficult, or unbearable - on the contrary, she reminded him very much of Hinata. Or, she would have, if she wasn't so clearly _not Hinata_. Her eyes were wrong - they were too hard, too stark white; Hinata's were softer, and tinged with lavender. Her hair was wrong as well, resembling Neji's dark brown more than Hinata's satiny indigo. Her voice was a bit too deep, a smidge too loud...her smile was too wide, too confident. In fact, if he thought about it, he would say that Hitomi seemed to be the product of a merge between Hinata and his former teammate - Tenten. She was too much like Hinata to be Tenten, and she was too much like Tenten to be Hinata.

She was faithful, and supportive, but she was not Hinata. Hinata was preparing for her own marriage, little more than a week away. That was what he should be doing - preparing for marriage. A loveless marriage.

He would marry Hitomi if he had to. His wants and needs did not matter. His loyalty lay with the clan, and it was his obligation to do what he needed to do in order to become a great clan leader. Once upon a time, he had equated marriage with happiness.

He knew better then, and he knew better now.

Marriage is duty.

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**Me**: What do you think? I know that the last chapter was a little weird...but keep in mind that neither Temari nor Shikamaru is very close to Hinata...or Sasuke, for that matter. Hinata invited Temari to the bachelorette party because she didn't want her to feel left out. Since they aren't the best of friends, they didn't talk about Hinata's marriage as much. As opposed to Neji's chapter, where he talks of Hinata's marriage essentially the whole time.

**Remember to vote for who you want Ino's husband to be!**


	4. Kakashi: Night Before

**Me:** Okay! These are the results of the Ino/? poll so far. In some instances, people picked two, so I just added the tally to the person who had less votes.

Shino - IIII

Naruto - IIII

Sai - I

Also, for anyone who was wondering, "Tsuki no Hanayome" means "bride of the moon". :)

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Marriage is troubling.

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Kakashi was a bachelor.

Everyone knew it, and everyone accepted it.

Sure, he'd had a few little affairs, but the women understood that he was a single man and would, in all likelihood, stay that way for the rest of his life. He respected serious relationships, though. If two people were in love, and they chose to be together, then he wouldn't object.

Now, normally, Kakashi would be thrilled that one of his students had opted for a serious relationship. And he was, in a way.

The fact that it was Sasuke just...sort of surprised him. Okay, a little more than sort of. Okay, maybe he was really surprised. Okay, maybe he had spit the sake he'd been drinking in Iruka's face when he heard the news.

Sasuke? _Really_?

And Hinata? _Really_?

Ah, well. Marriage was great! Marriage was fine! If they wanted to get married, why not? If they were in love...oh, wait. They weren't. Like, at all. Come to think of it...wasn't Hinata in love with Naruto? And wasn't Sasuke in love with...nothing?

Which was why he was a tad hesitant to accept _their_ serious relationship.

"So, remind me why you're getting married?" Kakashi asked, lounging in his booth.

His ex-student glanced at him impassively. "I didn't think you cared, Kakashi. You don't know how happy your concern makes me."

The Sharingan-user sighed. "Cut the sarcasm, Sasuke." He leaned in closer, even though there was no way he would be heard over the noise of the crowded bar. "Why are you marrying her?"

Sasuke crossed his arms. "I want to rebuild my clan." He stated simply, and Kakashi frowned behind his mask.

"You don't love her." Oops. That almost sounded like an accusation.

Sasuke looked him fully in the eye. "No." He didn't even try to deny it.

Kakashi took another sip of his drink. "She's a sweet girl. Pretty, too. She deserves better than that."

This time, Sasuke did not reply immediately. "I know," he said finally. Kakashi wasn't quite expecting that.

"Sasuke..." he began, then shook his head. He started over. "What about Naruto?" He prompted. "What about Sakura?"

"What about them." It wasn't a question, but it asked for a response. Sasuke had a habit of doing that...making questions into dull statements.

"Hinata loves Naruto." There, he said it! ...Not that it mattered. If Sasuke did not know that already, then he was an idiot. Or blind. Or living at the bottom of the ocean without any means of communication.

The Uchiha shrugged. "She isn't marrying Naruto." So uncaring. But Kakashi knew him better.

"It doesn't bother you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sasuke leaned back slightly in his seat. "Hinata is faithful. I'm not going to worry about her leaving me for the baka."

Kakashi didn't miss a beat. "And what about Sakura?" Sasuke did not hesitate, either. "Sakura is not a part of this." he answered calmly.

Kakashi's expression softened. "She loves you, Sasuke."

Sasuke did not look at him, but his voice was hard. "She loves the idea of me. She loves who she thinks I am."

Kakashi couldn't respond to that, because it may have been true. He felt sorry for his female pupil...always one step behind her teammates. Always scorned by her love. Always absent from his mind, whereas he was so present in hers. And now he was marrying a woman who was not her - a woman who did not love him, not as Sakura would have.

Finally, Kakashi spoke. "You don't feel for each other. And she loves someone else. How are you going to - "

Sasuke cut him off by turning back towards him. "Kakashi," he said, in a voice that commanded attention. His face was emotionless, his tone passive. But his eyes were dead set on his former sensei. "I don't love Hinata. And she doesn't love me. But I do, on some level, care about her. And she would not have agreed to this marriage if she did not feel the same."

Kakashi was stunned into silence. Was Sasuke opening up to him? The night before his wedding?

There was one more question to ask.

"Are you ready to go through with this?" he asked quietly.

Sasuke closed his eyes, looking, for the first time since Kakashi could remember, slightly troubled.

"I don't know."

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**Me:** So whatcha think? I wanna know! Your reviews mean a lot to me. Also, the chapter after next features Ino and her mysterious husband, so cast your votes now! I'm only giving you a few days. Like, two. Or one. Or less than 15 hours. Vote for your favorite!

As for me, I don't have much of a preference. Ino has a really versatile personality. Honestly, she could be with anyone she wants. Except for Sasuke. (sigh) Maybe in another time, another universe, another fanfic...

By the way, did anyone get the feeling Kakashi had a little crush on Hinata?

**Vote, I say! VOTE!**

(and review)


	5. Update

**Me:** 'Ello! I bet you're wondering why this isn't a chapter. Well, it's because the person I originally planned to star in this chapter is a nominee for the highly coveted position of "Ino's husband". I'm giving you one more day to finish the poll...then I post the chapter, and this person's marital status depends on how many votes stand for each candidate at that point.

According to my count, Shino and Naruto are tied, or nearly so, Sai has maybe 1 1/2 votes, and Chouji is gaining ground. Also, apparently, a few people voted for Kiba...I wish I could make it so, guys, but he's married to Tenten...and I'm not going to get into polygamy in this fic.

I'm only counting one vote per person, to be fair, but you can change your vote to someone else, by stating your previous choice and your new one.

_i.e:_

_I voted for Rock Lee earlier, but after reading a Gai/Ino fic, I changed my mind. So now I'm going for Gai!_

(I'm pretty sure no one has actually voted for Lee or Gai yet, so I'm using them as impartial examples.)

I have a bit of a warning for you - these are the outcomes I planned for the different pairings you've been voting for.

Ino/Naruto: Naruto is a bit unhappy and confused as to what his feelings are. Ino is, for the most part, oblivious.

Shino/Ino: Ino is a tad put out, as she did not land the man she wanted, but she loves Shino very much. Shino is just happy to be with her.

Ino/Sai: Ino is very frustrated most of the time, but she can look past Sai's flaws. Sai is...himself.

Ino/Chouji: Ino is happy, but a little distant. Chouji is happy, but a little worried about Ino.

Ino/Kiba: Really? C'mon.

You have approximately 24 hours to either vote or change your vote. Have fun!

**By the way, if you have an idea for an alternate fate for one of the above pairings, and you can convince me to change mine, I might take your suggestion and use yours. Ciao!**


	6. Naruto: Wedding

**Me:** Sorry, kiddos! Last time I checked, Shino was winning the Ino/? poll. If that has somehow miraculously changed, I apologize. My internet has been down for most of the day. And I've been working. And we were snowed in, in July. And the roads disappeared. And there were hot 'n' spicy burritos rising out of the earth to take over my city.

And other stuff happened, but that's not important.

This chapter is a bit sad. And it's sort of a precursor to the chapter in Sakura's point of view. They're pretty much the same kind of why-did-I-fall-in-love-with-someone-who-I-can't-have/doesn't-want-me angst. So...be warned.

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Marriage is unfair.

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Naruto was a nice guy.

He was able to make friends with anyone, everyone he met. He was a happy-go-lucky kind of kid, and he retained that attitude into early adulthood. He was serious when the sitatuation called for it, or when he felt particularly strongly about a topic, but he was always that goofy, jovial boy at heart. Ask anyone, and they would tell you: he was an all-around funny, upbeat, encouraging, nice guy.

He felt like _crap_.

It was his best friend's wedding. If anything, he should be overjoyed. He should be ecstatic. Sasuke was his brother, and unexpected though his marriage was, it was cause for celebration. So he celebrated.

Because besides being a nice guy, he was a great actor. He could pull off that sunshine-y smile at any time of day. He could make his voice cheerful with no problem. What did it matter if he wasn't actually happy? Everyone thought he was happy. Everyone thought he was fine. So what if he was miserable?

So what?

"N-Naruto-kun?"

Damn it. He knew that stutter anywhere.

He turned away from the mirror, forgetting that he was supposed to be fixing his tie, forcing that happy smile onto his face with ease. "Hey, Hinata-ch - "

Oh.

She looked...perfect. Hinata Hyuga was standing before him, a concerned look on her face, represented best by her beautiful eyes, so open and warm and inviting...

Her pale skin seemed to shine in the sunlight filtering in through the window of the room, giving her the look of an angel. In fact, she was the exact embodiment of an angel, with her simple white dress and her breathtaking features. In place of a harp, she had a bouquet of flowers. In place of a halo, she had a wedding veil.

Oh, right. This was her wedding, too.

Gulping, he drew himself back to reality to see that she was now blushing because of his blatant staring. She averted her eyes, biting her bottom lip, and he actually had to physically stop himself from touching her - cupping her face in his palm, taking her small hand in his, running his fingers through the silky strands of her indigo hair...

He cleared his throat. "Hi, Hinata-chan," he said again, this time without breaking off in the middle of the word. She was still blushing, but a brief ray of relief flashed through her eyes. "Thank you for coming to m-my wedding," she said shyly, a small smile appearing on her face. He grinned. "I wouldn't miss it for the world!" In a show of normalcy, he slung his arm around her shoulders. "If Sasuke-teme doesn't treat you right, just tell me, and I'll beat him up for ya!" _If Sasuke-teme doesn't treat you right, just tell me, and I'll protect you. I'll comfort you._

She giggled, and his smile widened, this time in genuine contentment.

"O-Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly. "I came here to t-tell you something!" Drawing away from him, she smoothed down her dress nervously, and said, in a very small voice, "Sasuke wants to talk to you."

Naruto felt his smile slip a bit - but it was back in place before Hinata looked back up at him. "Thanks, Hinata!" He gave her one last grin, and before he could stop himself, he swooped down and placed a kiss on her cheek. When he stepped back, her eyes were wide, and she reached up to touch the place where he had kissed her with faintly trembling fingers.

Naruto ignored the tight feeling in his chest. "Sorry," he chuckled, "you just look so cute today."

Fuck - he hadn't meant it to sound so serious. He wasn't serious. He wasn't unhappy...

He was slipping up. He had to leave, before he did something really stupid. "Well, I'll see you later!" he said, and Hinata gave him a shaky smile. "B-Bye, Naruto-kun..." she murmured, as he left the room.

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Naruto walked the lonely hallway to the room where Sasuke was staying. The Hyuga family insisted that their compound be used for the wedding, and Sasuke acquiesced without much complaint. However, the place was huge, and no one except the Hyugas themselves had any luck navigating it. He only knew where to go because Hinata had given him a map the day before.

"Naruto."

_God_damn it. This was the last person he wanted to see right now.

"What, Sakura?" he said impatiently, turning around.

Fuck! Really? Could he not force a simple, "Hey, Sakura-chan"? Could he not make his voice cheerful, and happy? That was not nice! He was not being a nice person!

Sakura looked taken aback. Her pale purple dress stood out against the creamy yellow walls, her hair clashed with the light blue carpet. She looked at odds with everything here. Like she didn't belong.

She recovered quickly. "Jeez, Naruto," she said, raising an eyebrow. "You don't have to bite my head off."

Naruto didn't bother to force a smile. If anyone knew when he was faking, it was Sakura. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. Her face softened. "It's okay." She understood. Maybe too well.

There was silence for a moment. Then, Naruto realized something. "Sakura," he said, looking up at her, "there's nothing down this hallway. Nothing but Sasuke's room."

Her startled face and guilty eyes told him everything. He grimaced. "Sakura - "

She broke in. "I know, I know!" She looked down at her shoes. "I know I shouldn't. But I love him. I love him, Naruto. I have to try." Her green orbs found his, and the look she gave him made _him_ look away.

"It's their wedding, Sakura," he muttered. "It's their happiness. Why can't you leave that alone?"

"Because it should be me!" she shouted. Naruto's eyes widened, surprised at her outburst. Her own eyes were wide, but in frustration, desperation, and anger. Her fists were clenched, and her mouth was set in a firm line. "They're not happy. She doesn't love him. And he doesn't love her."

"He doesn't love you, either!" Naruto shot back. Sakura looked hurt, but it turned to indignation. "What about you, huh?" she said.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's obvious. To me, anyway. And you're just letting her get married away. You're not going to do anything about it?"

He was silent. She shook her head, and started to walk past him, towards Sasuke's room. Before she got even one step ahead of him, he had grabbed her arm. She looked back, more irritated than surprised. He looked straight into her eyes. Cerulean bored into jade.

"They are getting married. And we are going to be at their wedding, and support them. And if we aren't happy, _it doesn't matter_."

Her face turned sad. She searched his own visage, the boy who had a crush on her for most of his life. The boy she rejected so many times. One of the nicest guys she knew. "That's not fair," she whispered, her tone betraying her misery.

Blue eyes closed. "Life's not fair."

|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|

**Me:** Hurray! I have done it. I have completed a chapter about Naruto and Hinata. Which I have pretty much never done. Ever. I think I'll buy myself a cake.

And no, there will be no ceremony. I was going to make it a traditional Christian wedding, but that didn't seem right. So I'm not going to specify what kind of wedding it was, for the sake of keeping it simple and keeping me lazy. After this, we go straight to the reception.

Anyway, I kinda made it seem like everyone is in love with Hinata, didn't I? Everyone except her own fiance. But only time will tell...

And I assure you, not everyone is in love with Hinata. Kiba is not. Shino is not. Cho(u)ji is not. Shikamaru is not. Lee is not. Gai is not. Genma is not. Iruka is not. Asuma (sob) is not. Zetsu is not. Kisame is not. Suigetsu is not. Juugo is not. Gaara (sorry!) is not. Kakashi is probably not. Kankuro is not. Baki is not. Itachi (unfortunately, deceased) is not. Deidara (unfortunately, deceased) is not. Sasori (unfortuantely, deceased) is not. Orochimaru (fortunately, dead as a doornail) is not. Jiraiya (noooooooooooo! He can't be dead!) is not. Tazuna is not. Sora is not. Zaku is not. Sakon and Ukon are not. What's-his-face-the-spider-guy from the Sound Five is not. That fat guy from the Sound Five is not. Other minor characters, dead guys, and the majority of women are _not_.

Is there anyone I forgot?

Review; tell me what you thought, what you think I can change, what you liked/didn't like, what you want for the next chapter, (Ino's point of view) and what you had for breakfast.

**SHINO WINS! WOOT WOOT! But to those of you who voted for someone else, don't fret. I have a little surprise for you in the next chapter!**


	7. Ino: Reception

**Me**: Just to make things clear, I am not Ino's number one fan. The third-person point of views in this story are supposed to reflect the characters. So, when Ino is praised, it's not meant to be my opinion - it's meant to be Ino. And I've always thought that Ino thinks very highly of herself (and why shouldn't she?) so I've made her very self-appreciative.

Oh, and this chapter is substantially longer than the others.

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Marriage is a novelty.

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If there was one thing Ino Aburame knew, it was...well, everything. She knew everything.

She was like an everything _guru_; or a universe goddess, or something.

Ino Yamanaka, patron saint of whatever-you-need-at-the-moment.

And since Ino knew all, and was a master at everything she'd ever tried, she had taken it upon herself to make sure that her good friend Hinata's wedding was the most spectacular, tasteful, amazing, gorgeous thing anyone had ever had the honor of attending.

And, if she did say so herself, she had done a pretty damn good job.

The bride herself looked _breathtaking_, of course (because Ino knew her way around a wedding dress and a little makeup) and the bridesmaids looked wonderful (though not quite as stunning as Hinata, because this was her special day). She had even orchestrated Hinata's handwritten invitations to go to everyone directly, courtesy of her little cousin, Yoite.

Speaking of the little devil...

"YOITE!" Ino shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth like a megaphone.

The blonde boy popped out from behind a flower pot. "Ouch, Ino-chan," he complained, sticking his finger in his right ear. "You're so loud!"

His cousin put her hands on her hips. "There you are! Where have you been? I told you to stay close in case I needed you!" she admonished. It was only five minutes until the reception started, and she needed her assistant. _Now._

Yoite pouted, looking very much like the woman he was talking to. "I got bored. Weddings are stupid."

Ino raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't let Hinata hear you say that - you might hurt her feelings."

Yoite immediately looked stricken. "I'm sorry! Weddings aren't stupid. Especially not Hinata-hime's!"

Yoite, like all children, had taken to Hinata like a fly to honey. He absolutely adored her, and even went to far as to refer to her as a princess. In fact, if Ino didn't know better, she'd say that Yoite had a little crush on Hinata.

But Ino knew better, because she knew everything.

The blue-eyed girl smiled in satisfaction. "Thought so." She winked. "Don't worry, I won't tell her."

Yoite's brown eyes flooded with relief. "Thanks, Ino-chan!" He grinned at her. She waved him off. "Sure, sure. Now, I need you to take something to Chouji. Okay?"

He nodded, and she fished around in her lavender purse, eventually producing a plain bowtie. "The pictures are in fifteen minutes. Tell him to get rid of that ugly plaid bowtie he has on, and give him this. Got it?" She handed him the navy blue clothing article. He smiled, then sped off through the crowd of people, which by now consisted of only Hinata's immediate family and friends.

Ino sighed, half tired, half exasperated. God. Weddings were hard work! Good thing she had help...

She spotted a head of indigo in the mass of wedding guests, making its way towards her. "Hinata!" she cried out, as the bride approached. Hinata gave her a tired but content smile. "Hello, I-Ino-chan," she said, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. Her hair had been done up in a stylishly messy bun, showing off the porcelain skin of her neck, but it was slowly coming undone. Despite that, it still looked great.

Ino immediately went into business mode. "Your's and Sasuke's picture is in seven minutes. After that, we have the bridesmaids' picture, then the groomsmens'. And then there's the picture with the Bride, Groom, Best Man, and the Maid of Honor (me, of course). Then, we have family pictures for the bride and groom...or just the bride, I guess. I'll have to cancel the groom's family picture." Ino grimaced, partly because that was going to be a bit of a hassle, and partly because she felt bad for forgetting that Sasuke didn't have a family.

Hinata smiled. "Thank you so much for p-planning my wedding, Ino."

Ino just gave her a mega-watt smile. "No sweat! Anything for my favorite Hyuga," she pinched Hinata's cheek, to which Hinata squealed and batted her hand away.

"I thought _I _was your favorite Hyuga."

Both girls spun around at the sound of Neji's voice. Ino rolled her eyes dramatically. "No way. You're not even my second favorite."

Neji definitely looked handsome, with his black tuxedo and smoke gray eyes, and she liked to tease him, but Ino was a married woman. Incidentally, so was Neji...

Said Hyuga raised a sculpted eyebrow. "Then who is your second favorite?" he inquired. Ino put her hands on her hips. "Why, your lovely wife, of course!"

She didn't miss the dark look that crossed Neji's face at the mention of Hitomi. It was gone so quickly she almost could have believed she didn't see it...but years of reading people's faces told her that it had been there.

Neji now addressed Hinata for the first time since he had approached them. "Hitomi is introducing herself to the rest of the Rookie Nine, she sends her congratulations."

Hinata smiled gently. "Thank y-you, Neji," she murmured, and Neji's face softened.

Ino frowned. "Aren't you going to compliment her dress, Neji?" she pushed.

Neji turned to her once again, and his face was back to his regular cold expression. "I already did, Yamanaka." He said. Ino crossed her arms over her chest. "If you haven't noticed, Neji, I'm married! Can't call me 'Yamanaka' anymore." She smirked triumphantly.

"Hey, guys! You havin' a party over here?"

Naruto pushed his way through the crowd, not seeing the glare a particularly huffy Hyuga Elder sent his way. He practically bounced up to the trio, Shino and Sasuke trailing slightly behind him.

"Shino!" Ino greeted enthusiastically. He gave her a small smile as she gave him a sweet peck on the cheek.

"Hinata," Sasuke nodded to her. She gave him a timid smile as he came to stand beside her.

"Neji!" Naruto shouted gleefully. Neji gave him a glare as he ran up and pursed his lips in a kiss -

"Don't _even_ consider it."

Intimidated, Naruto stepped back, laughing nervously. "Of course not, Neji! Hehe...I wouldn't dream of it!"

"Too late," Sasuke muttered, so low that only Hinata could hear him. She looked up at him, startled, and slowly, as if they and they alone knew the world's best secret, his lips quirked and..._he winked at her_.

Before Hinata could pinch herself, Ino had pulled her away and was fixing her hair. "Shoot!" she muttered to herself. "Your picture is in one minute!" She brushed Hinata's bangs to the side, rifled around in her purse, and came up with a small barette with a simple lavender flower on it. She tucked it into Hinata's hair, and stepped back, sighing. "You're too cute!" she gushed, as Hinata's cheeks turned a bit pink. Suddenly, as if a the oddest thought ever had occured to her, Ino gasped. "Hey!" she exclaimed to the people around them. "What are you all doing here? This is Sasuke and Hinata's picture! Out! OUT!"

She shoved everybody off to the side, and yelled to the small gathering of people, "MAKE WAY FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER!"

She ushered Sasuke and Hinata together (Sasuke's arm around Hinata's waist, Hinata leaning into him slightly) and retreated to stand with the rest of the guests, admiring her handywork.

You know...they were a beautiful couple.

Sasuke had that tall-dark-handsome look going for him, and Hinata had this ethereal innocence. They were sort of similar, feature-wise, with pale skin and dark hair, but their eyes were very different; they were the embodiments of their opposite personalities. They were also part of what made them look so good together. Like a Demon and an Angel.

Ino was thrown out of her reverie by the arrival of the photographer, who was making his way through the throng and had just 'accidentally' hit Naruto with his camera equipment. "Hey!" said Naruto, but the photographer just kept going.

"Kakashi!" Ino exlaimed. "You're here!" He winked at her in response.

As Kakashi was setting up, Ino turned around to see Sasuke's eyebrow twitching and a what-the-hell expression on his face. Hinata just looked confused.

"Say cheese!" Kakashi sang, holding up the camera. Sasuke glared at him. "No."

Kakashi frowned. "It's your wedding picture, Sasuke. You have to smile." Sasuke scowled. "_No_."

Ino growled at him. "Sasuke Uchiha, if you do not smile for this picture, I will find you later and KICK YOUR ASS!"

"Sasuke, I'm taking this picture, and if you're not smiling, too bad!" Kakashi claimed.

"Sasuke, smile!" Ino demanded.

Sasuke sent Kakashi a death glare. "You're not even a real photographer."

"He was willing to do this for free, just _smile_, Uchiha!" Ino explained, exasperated.

Naruto piped up from somewhere in the crowd. "Yeah, Sasuke's right! You're a crappy photographer, Kakashi - you hit me on the nose with your camera junk!"

Ino turned on him, icy eyes burning with anger. "Shut up, Naruto! Nobody cares!"

"3!" Kakashi started to count down.

"Sasuke, you better smile, or else!" Ino shouted.

"2!"

Hinata felt like she was going to faint. Why all this fuss over a picture? Why couldn't Sasuke smile? Why couldn't Ino let it go? Why did Kakashi have to be the photographer? Sasuke couldn't _stand_ Kakashi!

All of a sudden, she had an idea. "Sasuke," she said, so low that only her husband could hear her -

"2 1/2!"

"Kakashi hit N-Naruto in the face w-with his junk."

"1!"

_Click!_

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Upon later inspection, it was revealed that at the last moment, just before Kakashi had taken the picture, Sasuke had indeed smiled. A tiny smile, more of a nice smirk. He almost looked...amused. And Hinata, of course, looked perfect, with her lovely shy smile.

"Huh," Ino said to herself, standing in the middle of the Hyuga ballroom with the wedding pictures in her hands. All the guests had gone, and Sasuke and Hinata had departed for the old Uchiha compound, where they would spend the rest of their lives...hopefully.

She had seen the bridesmaids' picture. Temari looked sexy, Tenten looked pretty, Hitomi looked sweet, Kurenai looked gorgeous, and Ino...well, she was just born to wear purple. Sakura looked amazing (she always did, damn her) but her smile was a little fake, and her eyes were a little sad. Of course, no one else would have noticed this, but being her best friend, Ino could read Sakura like a book. She had set that picture aside with a sigh.

She had seen the groomsmens' picture. Shikamaru looked handsome, Naruto looked awesome, Kiba looked hot, Neji looked regal, Chouji looked smashing (he had worn the right bowtie, bless his barbecue-loving heart) and Shino looked like sex on legs. Well...maybe she was a little biased. She thought that Shino was just the yummiest thing to ever walk the earth, especially when he took off that _coat_ - oops. She had a job to do! _No fantasizing about your smexy husband, Ino_, she told herself.

She had seen the picture of Hinata and her family. They all looked good, like the Hyugas they were. Hanabi looked begrudgingly cute, a little scowl-smile on her face, and Hiashi towered above his daughters, imposing and, oddly, attractive.

And she had seen the picture with her, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata. And by Kami, they all looked like _gods_. Hinata and Sasuke were on one side, and Ino and Naruto were on the other. Sasuke and Hinata were beautiful, naturally, but it was she and Naruto she was interested in. They actually looked really good together. Naruto was smiling his goofy smile, the very embodiment of the sun, and he had one arm wrapped loosely around Ino's waist. She sighed wistfully. It was true, Naruto was a great guy. If she hadn't been in love with Shino, then maybe...

_But you are,_ her brain had reminded her. She had set that picture aside with a small frown.

But now, looking at the picture of just Sasuke and Hinata, she was stunned into silence. Why had Sasuke smiled at the last minute? Peer pressure? Had Kakashi made a silly face, and Sasuke reacted, like a kid?

Well, whatever it was, it was fine with her! She knew she could get him to smile. She could do _anything_.

She had, in her hands, a smiling picture of Sasuke Uchiha. What a novelty.

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**Me**: I'm done! I hadn't expected it to be so long, but it just kept going on and on and on...I thought it turned out okay. But, it's not up to me to decide how it went. So, please review! I haven't had much experience writing for Ino, and I tried to get her personality right, but I might not have made the cut. Tell me what you thought, I love your feedback.

Also, I tossed in some NaruIno moments, just for you guys. Don't worry, I'll get ChoIno in there somewhere. Maybe at the anniversary.

**ShinoIno rules, I have to admit. I loved writing it, even if they didn't get much time alone. I'll make it happen, I promise...your votes will not have been in vain.**

**Review, and make Sasuke smile! ...maybe.**


	8. Sasuke: Home

**Me:** I am ashamed. I should've posted this chapter when I had the chance...but, as I said before, i some story or another, my computer decided that it would be cool to randomly shut down, erasing all of my work. So I retyped over half of the story. And then I dropped the computer, knocking the battery out, and I lost my work all over again.

Finally, it's done, though. I saved it, I uploaded it, and then I got myslef some ice cream. Please read and review! I hope you like the latest installment. Oh, and this chapter goes out to you, It'sMontastic, for your excellent idea. _You_ know what it was.

Enjoy!

[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]

Marriage is a dance.

[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]

He was staring.

He really couldn't help it.

He wondered if anyone else in his position would be able to look away, and then decided that no, they wouldn't.

Sasuke had come home from a mission early, and had intended to surprise his wife...maybe take her out to dinner. Not that any restaurant could cook better than she could, but he wanted this to be special. He wanted to celebrate.

He'd come in silently (he wasn't an Anbu for nothing) and walked to the kitchen, where he knew she'd be. Odd...she wasn't actually there. He checked the library. Not there, either. He checked the bedroom. The bathroom. The living room. She wasn't there.

Sasuke could feel the beginnings of panic rising in his chest as he double-checked every room. _Fuck. Where is she?_

He was practically running now, his heart constricting in a way that made him even more anxious.

He only found Hinata because of a design choice she had insisted on.

When they had first moved in to the old Uchiha compound, he asked her what she wanted. Jewelry? Clothing? She had just smiled that gentle smile (really, he was powerless against it) and said that she only wanted a sliding glass door, leading out to the garden. He was curious, but he had it installed anyway.

He was thankful for it now. He'd jogged past it, _almost_ missing it - but something outside caught his eye. He backtracked, slid open the door, and peered out into the rain.

She was standing there, in a simple summer dress that he vaguely remembered Tenten cajoling her into buying, her face turned towards the light gray sky, a serene smile gracing her rain-soaked features. Then, she laughed. A loud, joyous sound, more carefree than he'd ever seen her. She twirled, once, twice, and began to dance.

Which put him in his current position. He was leaning against the doorframe, just watching her. He knew he should probably tell her he was back, or at least let her know he was there. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. She looked so happy - he didn't want to ruin it. He ruined everything he touched, and she...well, he didn't want to ruin her.

She was beautiful. It wasn't the first time he'd thought that, though. On their wedding night, he told her that they would wait until she was ready - and then, standing close to him, she had willingly touched him, ran her fingers through his hair, traced his muscles, looked at him with those opalescent eyes, nervous and frightened and so, so beautiful.

She was also graceful, but he'd already known that. It was there, in the way she carried herself, in the way she walked, in everything she did. But he was a bit surprised to learn that she could dance with the same grace. She twirled, spun, pirouetted, all the while with a smile on her lips. Her eyes were closed, as if she was imagining herself in another place, dancing to her own music...the droplets of water around her seemed to dance with her, and he idly remembered that she had told him that water was her element, in some long ago conversation. Sasuke wondered if her other element was wind...wouldn't that just make her perfectly compatible with Naruto?

And, as had been happening the past few weeks, his eyes narrowed in jealousy. In fact, the mission he'd just returned from had included Naruto and Sai, two males he had begun to consider as rivals, absurd as that was. Naruto, who was a bit _too_ friendly, and Sai, with his not-so-subtle comments about Hinata's _assets_ (the abnormally pale boy was still sporting a black eye from one of those comments, even if Sasuke didn't consider Sai much of a threat). And, as he had been doing all the while on the mission, he had to remind himself that Hinata was his wife, and she wouldn't be leaving him for Naruto any time soon. Especially not since -

And suddenly, the spell was broken. Hinata had stopped dancing, and the water droplets that had been following her movements fell to the ground, getting lost with the rest of the rain. She was staring at him, her doe-like eyes wide. He stared back, willing her to not run away, to stay where she was. He stepped off the porch and into the gentle rain, not caring that the water would soak through his already wet clothes.

She still stared at him, but made no move to escape. He stopped right in front of her. And simply stared down at her. She was shorter than him, of course; the top of her head only came up to his nose. He tilted his head. "Do you want to...dance?" he asked, his voice deep. Hinata's eyes widened a bit further, but still, she didn't shy away from him. Instead, she nodded slowly, still looking up at him. He gently placed one hand on her waist, and took her hand.

They were dancing together, in the rain.

He just wanted to share her moment, her beautiful moment. And she was letting him. Little by little, they danced closer to each other, until her body was pressed against his, and her head was resting in the crook of his neck. He inhaled slowly - she smelled of rain and lilies and hope.

His right hand left her waist and instead spread across her stomach. Hinata was so small...his hand nearly covered the entire expanse of her skin. He lowered his head until it was resting in the crook of _her_ shoulder. He didn't say anything. He didn't want to, didn't need to.

Hinata placed her hand over his, both of them feeling the slight bump that was going to be his child. Her child. _Their_ child.

And they danced together, in the rain.

[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]x[x]

**Me**: Yes! A chapter in Sasuke's point of view. Yeah, I'm aware that he's not exactly acting like a cold, emotionless bastard, but hey! This is the future. People change. So nyeh.

And amazingly, there was no actual dialogue in this chapter.

**Please, please, please, people: I need your help. Go to my profile page. Scroll the the bottom for information on my new story. Click on the poll. VOTE, dang you. Last I checked, I've only had three voters. I really do appreciate that, guys, but really. I need more than three.**

Kakashi, take it away!

**Kakashi:** Review. I mean it. I know you're out there. I can see you all, you cannot hide from me! I WILL FIND YOU! YOU HEAR ME? I WILL FIND YOOOOUUUUUU! ...Review.


	9. Update 2

**Me:** School is such a bastard.

I have less time to study, and work, and do homework, so you guys have to wait much longer for updates. In fact, the only stories I'll be updating semi-regularly are DoveFoxSnake and Tsuki no Hanayome, so for all you peeps who want me to update the others –

TOO FRIGGIN' BAD.

Ehem. Sorry. In case you can't tell, I'm a teeny bit stressed.

Despite that, I'll try to upload a chapter once a month, hopefully. And I can check reviews from my super fantastical iPod, so please do leave comments. Or concerns. Or com-cerns.

I've been debating on how to make it up to you, and I've decided that a sneak-preview of my next chapter would be suitable. Since, you know, I can't give you cake or anything...(grumbles) lousy intangible internet...

O:-::-::-::-::-:O

They look happy, but she knows better.

Lee watches Sakura. She can feel his adoring gaze on her, but she can't bring herself to care.

Hitomi watches Neji, who keeps sneaking peeks at Tenten, who every so often looks at Kiba fondly, but not often enough to see him occasionally ogling Ino. Shino is also observing Ino, and probably sees her watching Naruto, but doesn't comment on it. Naruto stares openly at Hinata, who smiles softly at everyone. And Sasuke, of course, looks at Hinata with that unmistakable hint of masculine pride in his eyes.

Why shouldn't he be proud? He's going to be a father.

It makes Sakura sick.

All these people, who love each other, who _should_ love each other, can't keep their eyes on their significant others.

But all of this is all wrong, anyway. She knows how the story was supposed to go, right from the very beginning.

Age 5: Ino was supposed to marry Sasuke. That was pretty much the extent of fantasy matchmaking at that point, because no one else was really interested in marriage. Sakura herself pictured being married to Sasuke, but would never voice that to Ino. After all, best friends weren't supposed to like each other's future husbands.

Age 12: Sakura was supposed to marry Sasuke. So what if she'd stolen him from Ino? She was her own person. She was strong. And, as was obvious to everyone but Naruto, Naruto was supposed to marry Hinata. Kiba would probably pine after her for years, before moving on with someone else. Shino was supposed to be single for all eternity. Tenten was supposed to marry Lee, Ino was supposed to marry Shikamaru or Chouji (really, they were interchangeable at times), and everyone was supposed to live happily ever after because revenge was a myth and adultery was a made-up word.

Age 15: Sakura was going to be an old maid. She couldn't have Sasuke, and she couldn't love Naruto without being reminded of his best friend. Ino was supposed to marry Chouji (Shikamaru was out – Temari had solved that dilemma), Neji was supposed to marry Tenten, and Shino, Lee and Kiba would just be bachelors, or perhaps married to girls from prestigious clans outside the land of fire. Hinata was still supposed to marry Naruto. Which Sakura was sure she could accept – but when she thought really hard about it, she realized she _couldn't_. And betrayal was as common as trees in a forest, but maybe once they put this all business about wars behind them, they could all move on.

Age 20: Hinata was going to marry Sasuke. So in all logical sense, Sakura should've married Naruto, Ino should've married Chouji, Neji should've married Tenten, Kiba, Lee, and Shino should've married strangers, Shikamaru should've married Temari, and all of them would be content, or at least partially so, with their spouses.

...

Well, at least Temari and Shikamaru held up their part of the bargain.

No one else wanted to follow the plan, and now look what had happened. Everyone wanted someone else, and no one was happy.

No one except Sasuke and Hinata, who were so perfect and broken and suited to each other that Sakura wanted to cry. She could _never_ fit with anyone like that. Not even Lee, who worshipped her like a princess. She would never be in love like that.

Once or twice, she considered proposing to Naruto, just so she wouldn't be lonely for the rest of her life. But that was a terrible thought, and it would only make both of them miserable. Sakura couldn't be Hinata, and Naruto couldn't be Sasuke.

It'd be foolish for them to try.

O:-::-::-::-::-:O

**Me:** Oooooooooo...more discontentments with Sasuke and Hinata's marriage. I promise, this chapter will be good, when I finally get around to finishing it. And if it's not good, I give you all permission to throw tomatoes at your computer screen and hiss in a depreciating manner.

That's all – I have a test to study for, you loveable kids. See you next time!


	10. Sakura: First Child

**Me:** Finally. What took me so long? Meh. I don't know. I wanted to make this a happy chapter...I don't like seeing people sad. Except for Naruto, of course. I'm so cruel.

Enjoy this chapter...I wrote it an hour before homecoming, so please be gentle with your reviews.

* * *

><p>Marriage is an ugly creature.<p>

They look happy, but she knows better.

Lee watches Sakura. She can feel his adoring gaze on her, but she can't bring herself to care.

Hitomi watches Neji, who keeps sneaking peeks at Tenten, who every so often looks at Kiba fondly, but not often enough to see him occasionally ogling Ino. Shino is also observing Ino, and probably sees her watching Naruto, but doesn't comment on it. Naruto stares openly at Hinata, who smiles softly at everyone. And Sasuke, of course, looks at Hinata with that unmistakable hint of masculine pride in his eyes.

Why shouldn't he be proud? He's going to be a father.

It makes Sakura sick.

All these people, who love each other, who _should_ love each other, can't keep their eyes on their significant others.

But all of this is all wrong, anyway. She knows how the story was supposed to go, right from the very beginning.

Age 5: Ino was supposed to marry Sasuke. That was pretty much the extent of fantasy matchmaking at that point, because no one else was really interested in marriage. Sakura herself pictured being married to Sasuke, but would never voice that to Ino. After all, best friends weren't supposed to like each other's future husbands.

Age 12: Sakura was supposed to marry Sasuke. So what if she'd stolen him from Ino? She was her own person. She was strong. And, as was obvious to everyone but Naruto, Naruto was supposed to marry Hinata. Kiba would probably pine after her for years, before moving on with someone else. Shino was supposed to be single for all eternity. Tenten was supposed to marry Lee, Ino was supposed to marry Shikamaru or Chouji (really, they were interchangeable at times), and everyone was supposed to live happily ever after because revenge was a myth and adultery was a made-up word.

Age 15: Sakura was going to be an old maid. She couldn't have Sasuke, and she couldn't love Naruto without being reminded of his best friend. Ino was supposed to marry Chouji (Shikamaru was out – Temari had solved that dilemma), Neji was supposed to marry Tenten, and Shino, Lee and Kiba would just be bachelors, or perhaps married to girls from prestigious clans outside the land of fire. Hinata was still supposed to marry Naruto. Which Sakura was sure she could accept – but when she thought really hard about it, she realized she _couldn't_. And betrayal was as common as trees in a forest, but maybe once they put this all business about wars behind them, they could all move on.

Age 20: Hinata was going to marry Sasuke. So in all logical sense, Sakura should've married Naruto, Ino should've married Chouji, Neji should've married Tenten, Kiba, Lee, and Shino should've married strangers, Shikamaru should've married Temari, and all of them would be content, or at least partially so, with their spouses.

...

Well, at least Temari and Shikamaru held up their part of the bargain.

No one else wanted to follow the plan, and now look what had happened. Everyone wanted someone else, and no one was happy.

No one except Sasuke and Hinata, who were so perfect and broken and suited to each other that Sakura wanted to cry. She could _never_ fit with anyone like that. Not even Lee, who worshipped her like a princess. She would never be in love like that.

Once or twice, she considered proposing to Naruto, just so she wouldn't be lonely for the rest of her life. But that was a terrible thought, and it would only make both of them miserable. Sakura couldn't be Hinata, and Naruto couldn't be Sasuke.

It'd be foolish for them to try.

* * *

><p>"C'mon – everyone loves a picnic!" Ino had said a week ago, with that little grin that could charm every man, woman, and child on the planet. Hell, it could probably even charm horses.<p>

"No, thanks," Sakura had said mildly, tying her hair up in a little bun. In all honesty, she loved picnics, but this particular one did not seem like her idea of a 'fun time'.

Considering she was in love with the man whose marriage this picnic was celebrating, and all.

Ino rolled her eyes, clipping on her standard nametag. "Okay, but you're gonna miss out!" she sang cheerfully.

Sakura said nothing, but continued to put on her med-nin attire. She _was_ going to miss out. Because everyone would wonder why she was not there, and they would talk, and they would pity her, and these days, she just wanted to punch pity in the face.

She had sighed. "Fine. I'll come, if you really need me there so badly." She glanced over at the platinum blonde.

Ino, having situated her lab coat perfectly, clapped her hands together. "Great!" She exclaimed. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" She walked away, whistling to herself.

Sakura, in an exact mimic of Ino's earlier actions, had rolled her eyes.

* * *

><p>And here she is. She sits alone at a table, idly drumming her fingers on the cheap wood and watching the proceedings.<p>

Hinata's pregnancy bump is barely noticeable. She always wears somewhat baggy clothing anyway, so it's a wonder she even noticed she was pregnant.

Aside from the morning sickness, cramps, and weird cravings.

Out of nowhere, Sakura wonders what it would be like to have a baby. To have _his_ baby. She'd probably be crabby, and moody, and a little miserable, but if the way Hinata was being treated was any indication, she would have no trouble getting everything she wanted/needed. She wonders what the child would look like. Green eyes? Black? Green with Sharingan? _Now there's an idea._ Pink hair? A girl with pink hair would be acceptable, but a boy...well, Sasuke might not react too favorably to that. On the other hand, the kid could end up looking exactly like Sasuke. Maybe the chromatic features would be a little mismatched, and maybe it wouldn't be the toughest-looking child, but Sakura knows she'd love it.

Then she starts wondering how Sasuke and Hinata's baby would look. Dark hair, definitely. White eyes, maybe, since the Sharingan was (as she had learned through her studies) a recessive trait. In order to carry forth his children, Sasuke would have the most luck picking a girl from a clan with a kekkai genkai similar to his own. Hinata fit the bill perfectly. The Byakugan was just genetically similar enough to be compatible with the Sharingan, and the chances that their offspring would have the Uchiha eyes were high.

She closes her eyes. When she thinks about it in a scientific, statistical way, it doesn't hurt so much.

A small shift in the table brings her attention to Shino, who has just sat down across from her. "Hello, Haruno-san," he greets quietly. Sakura manages a small smile. "We're friends, Shino, you can call me Sakura."

Shino's only response is to nod. They sit in silence for a moment, watching as Ino flits around, straightening things and telling people what to do, what to say, what to be.

"You aren't happy." Shino comments.

Sakura thinks about lying, then decides that it's a waste of her time. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm in love with a married man. A married man with a child on the way," she adds bitterly.

Shino turns his head slightly to look at her, and Sakura can see the appeal. He's tall...he's dark...he's handsome. Even the whole bugs-living-inside-of-him thing doesn't deter from the fact that he is a very attractive man.

With a groan, Sakura slams her forehead down on the table. Can she only find men attractive if they are completely unattainable?

She feels a hesitant hand on her shoulder. She knows it's Shino, but doesn't bother to acknowledge him. _I'll probably fall in love with him if I look at him for too long,_ she thinks despondently.

"Everything will work out. You and he are not meant to be together." Confused, Sakura raises her head. Shino is still sitting there calmly, hand on her shoulder, although it seems as though he's only done this a handful of times. "You have friends who love you, and want to see you happy." He states, and for once she wishes she could see behind those dark glasses.

"Thank you, Shino," she says softly. Over to her right, Lee is talking with Tenten. He says something, and the newlywed Inuzuka laughs. Catching her eye, Lee turns to Sakura, and flashes her a winning smile and a thumbs-up. She smiles back, genuinely, and waves.

* * *

><p>She wonders what the world would think of a child with pink hair and impossibly round eyes.<p>

It's hours later that she finds herself finally talking to Hinata. How did she get here...? There were drinks involved, she remembers that.

"Thank you f-for coming, Sakura-chan," Hinata says, giving her a tiny beam of a smile. Sakura laughs. "I wouldn't miss it," she tells her, throwing her empty drink cup in the garbage can.

A sad sort of look falls on Hinata's face. "Sakura..." she says, leaning in slightly, "a-are you angry? ...with me?"

She's biting her lip, and she looks more like an adorable little eight-year-old than pregnant woman. Of course, eight-year-olds don't have curves. Or, at least, Sakura didn't. Maybe Hinata did. Maybe Hinata got everything before she did.

"No," Sakura says, and it's the truth.

Hinata looks relieved, until a hand is placed on the small of her back, and she flushes. Sakura stares.

Dark eyes regard her coolly. "Sakura," he says, nodding.

Her throat feels dry. "Sasuke."

She feels vulnerable under his gaze. So she blurts out the first thing that comes to her mind. "Good to see you. You look really good – happy, I mean."

Sasuke raises an eyebrow, as if to say, _Really? Did you __really__ just say that?_

He turns to Hinata. "We're leaving soon," he tells her. Hinata nods, another cute little smile on her lips, and Sakura can't believe that this woman has had sex. Because, she obviously has. Being pregnant and whatnot.

Kami, how many drinks has she _had_?

The thought of Sasuke and Hinata having sex is slightly disturbing, so Sakura quickly excuses herself. As she hurries away, she feels tears coming to her eyes. She thought she was better than this. Shino gave her a pep-talk, didn't he? She had a perfectly lovely conversation with Temari earlier. This whole evening was fine, and now it was ruined because she was reminded of a very obvious fact?

As she's nearing the refreshment table, a hand grips her arm and yanks her to the side.

She comes face to face with Ino's furious blue eyes. "What the hell, Sakura?" She hisses, pulling them along until they're hidden by a small group of trees.

Sakura is momentarily speechless, so Ino resumes her tirade. "What on earth were you thinking?" she throws her hands up in exasperation.

Sakura finds her voice, and shakes her head. "I don't know, I just – I panicked!" The tears are gathering at the corner of her eyes now, threatening to spill over. Ino plants her hands on her hips. "Well, that was a goddamn bad moment to panic." She doesn't sound so angry now, just a little frustrated.

Sakura hangs her head, and then the tears _do_ come.

Ino sighs, and pulls her into a hug. "Look, I know it's hard," she murmurs to the quietly sobbing girl, "but you have to move on. It's been years. Look at me – I have Shino, and we're perfectly happy. You can be, too." She draws away, looks Sakura in the eye. "If not with Naruto, then with Lee. Or Chouji. Or Iruka, or Kakashi, or whoever, I don't care, but you need to move on."

Somewhere in the back of her mind, a dark part of Sakura snorts. _Hypocrite. I saw the way you were staring at Naruto earlier._ She shoves the voice down.

Ino punches her arm lightly. "Go on a date, yeah?" She smiles gently.

Sakura sniffles, and nods. "God. Love sucks," she says, then laughs. Ino nods, sighing. "I know, honey. I know."

A voice from behind them pipes up. "Sakura-chan? Ino-chan?"

Sakura turns. It's Rock Lee himself, right on schedule. "Hey, Lee," she says, trying to wipe away her tears. Lee is immediately at her side. "Sakura-chan, what has made you cry?" He exclaims, concerned. Sakura shakes her head. "Nothing, nothing." She clears her throat.

Ino, who has been watching this entire time, grins, and says, "Catch you later, Forehead."

Sakura gives a little wave. She turns to Lee, and in the faint glow of the lights strung up by the trees in the meadow, he looks handsome. Huge eyes, bowl-cut, and all. "Sakura," he says, "it would be my honor to accompany you home."

Sakura takes a moment to decide, then smiles gratefully at him. "Thank you, Lee."

She might not mind going on a date with him.

As they pass the small area set up for Sasuke and Hinata's baby-announcement picnic, Sakura watches them all again, just to see.

Tenten is snuggling up to Kiba, the two of them talking quietly. Ino is sitting in Shino's lap, animatedly telling him about something, while he nods. Naruto is sitting with Chouji, laughing about a mission he recently went on. Temari and Shikamaru have disappeared...probably not for the most innocent of reasons. Hinata and Hitomi are walking side-by-side, softly giggling to each other, their husbands following behind in, for once, amiable silence.

Sakura doesn't protest when Lee wraps a protective arm around her, as a gust of wind blows through. She just leans into him slightly.

Maybe marriage can be pretty.

* * *

><p><strong>Me:<strong> Gah. Not my best work, I'll admit. But at least it happened. Or got written. Or whatever. I'm rambling, aren't I? I need sleep. My brain is now entirely reserved for school, so whatever you guys want to happen next...you're going to have to request it.

Until next time!


	11. Hinata: Advice

**Me: **Thank you guys for the wonderful reviews. I tried to make it worth your while, but...well. I guess that's for you to decide. Thanks for being patient, amigos. Enjoy!

**Song of the day (Temari): Cornflake Girl – Tori Amos**

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Pregnancy isn't all that bad.

She'd been led to believe that it was like a horror movie; only, the pregnant woman was the evil spirit/demon/monster, and everyone else were the naïve teenagers that got picked off one.

Hinata spends a lot of her time painting nowadays. She can't go on any missions, (Tsunade's orders) and Sasuke won't let her do anything else. (Personally, she thinks that Sasuke doesn't even want her to paint – he probably thinks that raising her arm and sitting in a chair will harm the baby).

So she just smiles, and kisses him on the nose, and tells him not to worry.

At times like this, he gets sort of a bewildered look in his eyes, like he can't believe that this is real – the house, the baby, her. Like at any moment, he expects to wake up, still fifteen years old, still with Orochimaru, still alone. But then the moment is gone, and he smirks, and tells her that if she doesn't stop being so cute, he'll ravage her.

Or something.

In any case, she'll blush and stammer, and he'll chuckle, and leave her to her painting.

She...likes him.

A lot.

He's handsome, of course, he always was. Even when they were all children, and had to clue how to even spell "cute", he was being called that by just about every girl in their class. He was aloof, and unattainable, and every girl's dream.

Hinata did not like him.

He was not nice, first of all. He never said "hello" to her, even when she mustered up the courage to say it to him. He was always putting people down, and never had anything kind to say. Personally, Hinata could not stand him. But even if she couldn't stand his personality, she at least found him attractive, right? Not necessarily. Sure, he was physically appealing – but in no other way was he at all appealing to her. Now older, Hinata has spent a little time wondering why this is, and has chalked it up to two things –

1. She really and truly could see no one but Naruto – that was how much she loved him.

2. The fact that Sasuke was so unattainable did not attract her; rather, it repelled her. The other girls could pine all they liked, because they hadn't had to deal with things they couldn't have. They had everything handed to them, or they got it themselves, because they were smart and strong and better than she was. Hinata had had a _lot_ of experience with the unattainable. Strength, confidence, respect – all out of her grasp. She hated the ungettable. She loathed the unreachable. She did not like Sasuke.

That has all changed now, of course. _He_ has changed – and she likes him.

"Konbanwa **(1)**."

She turns around, somewhat surprised to see Sasuke leaning against the wall of the living room. "O-Oh...okaerinasai **(2)**, Sasuke." She says softly. He tilts his head in reply, studying something behind her. She turns slightly. Her painting. It's a simple thing – she was just painting the lantern outside their window. The soft glow emanating from the lantern was hard to capture...but she thinks she did it well enough.

Sasuke walks over, nudges her with his hip so that she moves over, and sits down beside her in her chair. Their thighs press together lightly. "I like it," he declares quietly after a moment, scrutinizing her work. She lowers her eyes, embarrassed. "Thank you..." she whispers.

He nods, and she is about to ask him how his assignment went when she is swept off her feet and slung over Sasuke's shoulder. "Sasuke!" She shrieks, startled.

"You pay more attention to your paintings than you do to me," he replies calmly.

She is plopped down on her back, on their bed, and Sasuke gives her a little smirk before climbing over her. "I'm jealous of them," he murmurs, threading his fingers through her hair. He lays a kiss to her jaw, and she doesn't know where she gets the confidence, but all of a sudden, she's saying, "Don't be. Paintings can't make love," in a breathy sort of voice.

Where did that come from...? Hormones? Maybe. The fact that her husband is quite possibly addicted to sex? Well, that's definitely one reason.

Sasuke pauses, staring intensely at her with that 'We are so having sex right now' look in his eyes. It only serves to make her want him more, and she pulls him down for another kiss –

There is a knock at the door, and both of them freeze. After about half a second, Sasuke grunts and says, "Ignore them." He slides a hand inside her kimono. Hinata half-heartedly tries to push him away, moaning lightly. "N-No, Sasuke, we have to –"

Sasuke gives Hinata another look, but this one is the 'We are so having sex right now or else I will literally end someone's life' look. He leans in for a kiss, but Hinata turns her head away. "Wait, it's Shizune," she says, still panting slightly. Sasuke's eyes narrow, but he doesn't move, so she presses forward. "I-I asked her to come here. About the b-baby."

This, Sasuke can't refute or argue against, so he removes himself from her, scowling and muttering something about getting "cock-blocked by the Hokage's assistant."

When they finally get to the door, Shizune is standing on their porch, looking mildly worried. "Is everything okay? I thought something might have happened," she says, as Hinata leads her in. The Uchiha woman laughs, a bit nervously. "Ano...everything's a-alright here," she replies, doing a very good job of ignoring the glare Sasuke sends her way.

Shizune smiles at her, settling herself into Hinata's designated art chair while Sasuke and Hinata sit on the couch across from her.

Shizune glances at the painting. "That's very pretty, Hinata-chan," she says. Hinata flushes again (still not used to compliments on a daily basis) and murmurs a thank you.

Shizune gives her another reassuring smile before perusing her clipboard. "Hmmm...okay. First, let's talk about how you're feeling physically," The taller woman says. She leans closer to Hinata. "Dizziness or leg cramps? Braxton Hicks contractions **(3)**? Stretch marks?"

Hinata shakes her head. "No..." she smiles softly, absentmindedly caressing the bulge of her stomach, and the Hokage's best friend is surprised to find that she thinks Hinata looks angelic. Truly angelic – as if she is not a blood-stained shinobi, but a warm, motherly civilian.

Shizune clears her throat, and moves on. "Alright. Good. And how are you feeling mentally?"

Hinata stops, looks up, and then glances at Sasuke, who in turn looks at her nonchalantly. Slowly, Hinata turns back to the medic. "Umm...fine." Her voice is a bit high, and Shizune notices. She reasons that it is just the hormones, and reaches over to place her hand over Hinata's. "It's perfectly normal for you to be feeling a myriad of different emotions throughout the day. This fluctuation is normal, and I'm sure Sasuke doesn't mind much." She glances meaningfully at Sasuke, who crosses his arms and gives her a muted scowl. If she's insinuating anything about his patience...

Shizune looks back at Hinata. "Speaking of which..." her smile turns mischievous, and Hinata has a bad feeling about this. The black-haired medic draws back slightly, clears her throat, and says, "I'm going to tell you that...it's absolutely normal for you two to be intimate. In fact, for the expectant mother, it can be real confidence boost. With your changing hormones, you might find yourself with an increased libido. It won't harm the baby, and again, it is completely normal." Shizune finishes her speech, and looks at them both expectantly.

Hinata appears to be close to fainting, and her face has turned an interesting shade of maroon. As for Sasuke, the corner of his mouth is...twitching?

"Are you giving us the okay to have sex?" Sasuke asks, slowly.

Shizune nods professionally. "Yes."

Sasuke turns to Hinata, who is looking anywhere but him and fidgeting uncomfortably. "Well, isn't that great," he drawls. "We can have sex, Hinata. Gosh. I was so worried." He glances at Shizune. "Thank you for relieving our fears," he monotones.

Silence for a moment.

"Sasuke-san, I think you're mocking me."

"Not at all."

Shizune frowns. "I am only trying to help, Sasuke. This is a very sensitive subject. I would ask you to be a little more cognizant of your wife's feelings."

Hinata looks like she might, at any moment, explode. "T-Thank you, Shizune-san!" She squeaks, standing up quickly. Confused, Shizune follows suit. "Ah...of course. If you need any help, I'll be –"

Hinata is ushering her out the door. Shizune's honestly never seen the quiet woman so pushy. "Yes, d-definitely, we'll call for you if a-anything comes up!"She says quickly. Shizune turns around, only to find herself again on the Uchiha's porch. "Goodbye!" Hinata gives her a rushed smile and quite literally slams the door on her face.

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"...y-you are awful."

"Hn."

A sniffle. She hastily swipes at her eyes.

Sasuke rolls his own black eyes and slings an arm around her shoulder. "It's the hormones," he murmurs. She glares at him as best she can. "S-Shut up."

Sasuke smirks and kisses her forehead. "Gladly."

And pulls her into a kiss.

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All right, so pregnancy isn't so bad.

For Sasuke, at least.

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**(1) – Good evening.**

**(2) – Welcome home.**

**(3) – Sort of like prepping for the actual birthing process. They occur in the second trimester.**

**Me:** Yay. Chapter done. No more editing. No more staying up late to finish homework/write this story. No more coffee.

_Yes._

That is all. Have a nice day.


End file.
